Should Reno allow marijuana consumption lounges? City council begins debate

Posted September 15, 2022 on My News 4

RENO - Should the city of Reno allow marijuana consumption lounges? The city council started debating some of the important questions surrounding lounges Wednesday.

It comes after the Nevada legislature voted to legalize lounges last year — four years after recreational marijuana was made legal by a statewide ballot initiative.

Since the legalization of weed, a tricky problem has existed for tourists, who are often prohibited from consuming in their hotel rooms. The marijuana lounge law was intended to give local jurisdictions the authority to regulate lounges and give tourists a safe, legal place to consume.

Council members voted to move forward with public outreach and stakeholder input, a process that is expected to take 3-4 months, Mayor Hillary Schieve said.

Schieve said she understands both sides of the debate.

"I think we're still trying to figure it out and say what does this really look like? I think there's two sort of concerns, right. You don't want people smoking in their cars," she said. It's obviously legal so we want to make sure people are doing it safely and responsibly.

Schieve said she wants to ensure the marijuana dispensaries aren't located next to schools or drug rehab facilities. The lounges could be either connected to one of the 8 existing dispensaries in Reno or a standalone business.

Councilmembers' opinions varied during the debate Wednesday. Councilman Devon Reese said lounges are an 'inevitability' and that Reno should work to be a the forefront of the new industry.

Councilwoman Jenny Brekhus said pot lounges shouldn't be a key focus for city staff right now when other initiatives haven't yet come before the city council.

"I don't see this as a priority at this point We are really falling behind on just basic things like regulating short-term rentals," Brekhus said. She also referenced a possible accessory dwelling unit ordinance and a sign-related ordinance as examples of other initiatives that are taking up staff time.

Here are some of the questions the city council must answer in a marijuana consumption lounge ordinance: